HAIRY-CELL LEUKEMIA AND OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE TO BENZENE

Objectives - The role of occupational exposures in hairy cell leukaemi a (HCL) was investigated through a multicentre, hospital based, case-c ontrol study. This paper analyses the role of exposure to benzene in H CL. Methods - A population of 226 male cases of HCL and 425 matched co ntrols were included in the study. Benzene exposure was evaluated by e xpert review of the detailed data on occupational exposures generated by case-control interviews. Results - No association was found between HCL and employment in a job exposed to benzene (odds ratio (OR) 0.9 ( 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.6-1.3)). The sample included 125 su bjects, 34 cases (15%), and 91 controls (21%) who had been exposed to benzene, as individually assessed by the experts, for at least one hou r a month during one of their jobs. Benzene exposure was not associate d with a risk of HCL (OR 0.8 (0.5-1.2)). No trend towards an increase in OR was detected for increasing exposures, the percentage of work ti me involving exposure to > 1 ppm, or the duration of exposure. No find ings suggested a particular risk period, when the OR associated with t he time since first or last exposure, or since the end of exposure, we re examined. Conclusions-in conclusion, with the low exposures prevale nt in the sample, the study did not show any association between benze ne exposure and HCL.